1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to collapsible boxes and more particularly a collapsible box made of corrugated plastic.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Collapsible corrugated boxes and cartons made of paperboard are well known in the art. Such boxes and cartons typically include vertical side walls and top and bottom flaps on the side walls for forming a bottom end wall and a top closure for the box. The paperboard is crushed along lines between adjacent side walls and between the side walls and the flaps to form xe2x80x9cscore linesxe2x80x9d or hinge lines for bending the paperboard.
It is known to provide a foldable carton having hinged together bottom panels for automatically forming the carton bottom when the carton is erected. Cartons having such automatically forming bottoms are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,327,709 and 4,289,268.
It is also known to provide a plastic box as is disclosed in United States Pat. No. 4,948,039. That patent discloses a container made out of fluted plastic having integral hinges between the walls and flaps and having Velcro(copyright) strips for fastening the walls and panels together. The hinges in the container are made by cutting one facing sheet in the fluted plastic and hinging the walls and flaps on the other (uncut) facing sheet. The container disclosed in that patent is said to be easily collapsible and reusable.
There is a need for an improved collapsible box made of corrugated plastic that is economical and suitable for high speed manufacture and erection. An improved plastic carton is needed that is more durable and resistant to tearing. A plastic box is needed that will set up better when erected and not collapse on itself. A corrugated plastic carton is needed that includes an automatically lockable bottom and a plastic box that can be reused many times.
This invention satisfies the needs for an economical plastic box that can be manufactured using high speed equipment and which is durable and capable of being reused many times.
This invention provides a collapsible box made of corrugated plastic, which has improved hinge/score line configurations between walls and panels and improved hand holds. A plastic box of this invention preferably has an automatically lockable bottom to facilitate erection of the box, and can be easily collapsed for return shipment and reuse.
A collapsible box of this invention may have offset scoring for the bottom flaps so the box sets up better. Offset scoring produces a box with less memory when erected, so the box stays erected without collapsing on itself.
The score lines in a box of this invention preferably terminate short of slots cut between panels and flaps so the corrugated plastic will have increased resistance to tearing. The box also preferably has hand holds defined by cut lines that terminate in rounded corners, which also reduce risk of tearing the plastic.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible box made of corrugated plastic.
The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the following description and the attached drawings.